Detachable tooth-facing.



' G. W. PATTEN.

DETAGHABLE TOOTH FACING.

APJLIOATIOII FILED MAYS, 1909.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

a 7 mm Hy $115 (Hindu 3145s To all whom it may concern:

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. PATTEN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

DETACHAB'LE' TOOTH-FACING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. '7, 1911.

Application filed May 3, 1909. Serial No. 493,495.

Be it known'that I, GEORGE W. PArrnN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State-ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDetachable Tooth-Facings; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact/des'cription of the invention, such as willenable others skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to the construction of artificial teeth, and isespecially directed to the provision of improved means for connectingthe porcelain toot-h faces to metallic bridges and plates.

To the above ends, the invention consists of the novel devices andcombinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring ,to the drawings: Figure 1 is a View in front elevation,showing the porcelain face and metallic back of an incisor tooth; Fig. 2is a vertical section taken on the line a m of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rearelevation of the porcelain face shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. at is ahorizontal section taken through several teeth on the line no w of Fig.1, and showing the said teeth secured to a metallic bridge; Fig. 5 is aview corresponding to Fig. 1, but illustrating a inodified construction;Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 01 a? of Fig. 5; Fig. 7is a rear elevation of the tooth face shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 isa front elevation of a' bicuspid tooth; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line to w of Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken011 the line 001 m of Fig. 9.

Referring first 'to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive,the numeral 1 indi cates the porcelain tooth face, the root end of whichis provided with a gingival bevel 1 to make room for the gums. In itsback, this porcelain facing 1 is provided with a dovetailed seat 1 thatis cut or extended through the gingival bevel l and flares from thelatter toward the incisor edge of the tooth facing, and where it joinsthe latter, is nearly, but not quite, as wide as the said tooth facing.r

The metallic back of the tooth is in the form of a thin metallic plate2, preferably of gold,

tended flange 2 that-overlies and reinforces the incisor edge of thetooth facing 1, and forms a stop which limits the movement of the key ordovetailed flange 2 within the dovetailed seat l of the tooth facing.This reinforcing or protecting flange 2' preferably extends completelyover or across the incisor edge of the tooth facing, and transmitsbiting strains directly to the .body of the metallic back 2, although,it will, of course, be understood that the dovetailed key 2 should be ofsuch size and taper, that it will tightly fit the seat 1 when the flange2 is engaged with the incisor edge of the tooth facing. These dovetailedparts and the flange 2 very firmly connect the tooth facing to themetallic back of the tooth, and at the same time, they permit both thetooth facing and the back to be ground off to fit the tooth to a bridgeor plate without damaging or weakening the dovetailed connection betweenthe said facing and back. It will also .be understood, that it isimportant that the dovetailed groove or seat l be extended through thegingival bevel 1, so that this latter portion will not act as a stop toprevent the dove tailed key 2 from being tightly seated within theseat 1. r In Fig. 4-, the metallic tooth backs 2 are shown as secured bysolder or other suitable material to a bridge bar or plate In the toothconstruction illsutrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7,.the flange 2" .forengagement with the incisor edge of 'the tooth the ing 1 is omitted, andthe tooth facing is connected to the said back 2 solely by a tapereddovetailed key 2, that engages a tapered dovetailed seat 2 .in the backof the tooth facing 1..

In thetooth construction illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a bicuspidtooth 4 is shown, and this tooth facing is provided on its horizontallycut upper portion, with a tapered dovetailed seat 4 that receives atapered dovetailed key 5 of a metallic back plate 5.

As a common feature .to all the tooth structures shown, the toothfacings are provided with tapered dovetailed seats, and the metallictooth backs or back plates are provided with tapered dovetailed keys orribs,

that fit the said seats insuch mannerthat the sides of the tooth facingand back plate may be ground away without interfering with thedovetailed connection between the said facing and back.

What I claim is:

The combination with a t6oth facing hav ing a gingival bevel, andprovided with a dovetailed seat extending from the incisor edge thereofthrough said gingival bevel, and flaring in a direction from saidgingival bevel toward the incisor edge of said tooth, and a metallicback provided with a tapered dovetailed key fitting the tapereddovetailed seat of said facing, and provided at one edge with alaterally projecting flange adapted to 15 cover and reinforce theincisor edge of said tooth facing, said flange and dovetailed key beingsubstantially of the same Width at the incisor edge of the tooth tobrace the flange throughout its width by said key, substan- 20 tially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I: aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. ATTEJ.

Witnesses F. D. MERCHANT, HARRY D. KILGonn.

